And suddenly I'm 6 years old.

Ok, I had to post this video before I left on my 10 hour flight.



This clip, from Disneyland's 30th Anniversary celebration, brings back so many memories. Much like the CBS telemusical Alice in Wonderland, this special televised event was a major milestone of my formative years. Just see this list of "special guest appearances" to understand my frame of reference:


It's like 1985 condensed into a screenshot, no? In addition, a young Drew Barrymore and a fatherly John Forsythe co hosted the event, with musical entertainment from a cross-section of 80s personalities, including The Pointer Sisters, The Hof, Donna Summer, Marie Osmond, Peter Allen (!) and Debbie Allen (!!!). Much like with the "starry" cameos from "Alice in Wonderland," it's such a blast knowing what I know now and comparing it to what I knew then. While I didn't know who half these people were, I knew I loved Peter's flash and Marie's production number:



To me, Disneyland will always be this place with tacky production numbers from TV personalities, sequins and 80s bangs. Always.

A final thought

I won't be updating for a little over a week, so I'll leave you with these nice pieces of archival footage:







Take note: Sometimes you should just stick with what you know.

(Thanks Sarah for the Bernadette video!)

Wicked's closing!

OMG! Start lighting your mourning candles and defying your gravities - Chicago's multi-million-making production of Wicked is closing Jan 2009.

While I understand the show was an economic boom to the city, I can't say I'm sad to see it go. The Ford/Oriental theatre is one of only a few good theatres for Broadway-caliber productions, and now it will be released for more desirable shows - perhaps High School Musical 6? Joking. But a sit-down production of Legally Blonde - The Musical? Totally not joking. I'd be there every weekend. Don't judge me.

In other news, a dead woman was found stuffed in a hotel room closet about two miles from our place. Yikes.

Time for a change

It's spring! Time to revamp the site. And by revamp, I mean click a radio button by a different design template and click "ok." Whew. Now that that's done, what next? I know - alphabetizing my cast recording collection! Should 42nd Street go first, as it's a number, or under the F's? Gosh - I'm exhausted already! Maybe another day.

three days.

E-lemon-ators

Slaughtered again!

Exactly one week!

Until I am here:

A few things I need to remind myself to do before I leave:

• Get a plug converter thingy.


• Make sure I have a fully stocked carry on. Especially with two transfer flights.


• Lose 40 lbs and dye my hair blonde so I slightly resemble my Passport photo from 2000.


• Build a base tan.


• Wikipedia "Greece" so I know what I'm in for.


• Buy that Speedo.


• Make sure to pack clothes and a camera, thanks to this highly informative web site.


• Fix the economy so my U.S. dollar isn't only worth .64 EUR.

Patti Press Machine: Full steam ahead!

Patti has been nommed for a Tony, so the Patti Press Machine is in full force. First off, the "Meet the Nominees" press event. Patti's choice ensemble:


Always one to make a statement, Loops.

Apparently at this event, a press person tried to guide Patti to a particular area by the arm. Patti responded, "Get your f*cking hands off me!"

Typical.

Second, La LuPone offers her advice on how to invest your hard-earned dollars in this troubled economy:

"I tell people, buy gold," she says. "Buy land and buy gold." And scoop it up while you can. "Just buy land, and buy it before there’s no more left. I think it’s better than the stock market."

How Leocadia Begbick of her.

In this same article, PLuP mentions that she doesn't know how to shop for the big Tony-related events coming up - she's worn costumes "all her life."

So how does she make such amazing fashion-forward choices? The secret is revealed in a recent Broadway.com feature:

Now, my friend and I have to sort out clothes! [Laughs]. 'OK, you'll be wearing that to the Outer Critics, you'll be wearing that to the Tony nominations brunch...' It's just a nightmare of fashion!"

Girl, if I your friend puts you in something like this again, it's time to find a new friend.

Guess who's sick!

Drove to work feeling sick. Got exponentially sicker as the morning wore on. Was home by 1 and didn't do a thing at work. And the most annoying part? The waste of gas at 4.10 a gallon. Dammit.

My Highly Informed and Exhaustively Researched* 2008 Tony Award Predictions

*By "informed" and "researched", I mean thoroughly conjectured and opinionified through rumor, hearsay, blogger reviews, youtube and other such means.

Best Play:
*August: Osage County
Rock 'n' Roll
The Seafarer
The 39 Steps

It won the Pulitzer for pissake.

Best Musical:
Cry-Baby
*In the Heights
Passing Strange
Xanadu

I am shocked A (The?) Catered Affair isn't listed here, and Cry-Baby is. Shocked! Wasn't ACF nommed like 25 times for the Drama Desks? Strange. And big HA to you, Young Frankenstein/Mel Brooks/Susan Stroman. You can serve us shit for $450 a serving, but we don't have to eat it. And while I'd LOVE Xanadu to win, In the Heights is gonna get it.

Best Book of a Musical
Cry-Baby, Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan
*In the Heights, Quiara Alegria Hudes
Passing Strange, Stew
Xanadu, Douglas Carter Beane

Confession: I know absolutely nothing about Passing Strange.

Best Original Score
Cry-Baby, Music & Lyrics: David Javerbaum & Adam Schlesinger
*In The Heights, Music & Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda
The Little Mermaid, Music: Alan Menken and Lyrics: Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater
Passing Strange, Music: Stew and Heidi Rodewald Lyrics: Stew

I'm predicting a near sweep for In The Heights. Because Priscilla Lopez can kick your ass.

Best Revival of a Play
Boeing-Boeing
The Homecoming
Les Liaisons Dangereueses
*Macbeth

Sure? Kari's review was pretty persuasive.

Best Revival of a Musical
Grease
Gypsy
*Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific
Sunday in the Park With George

While SITPWG was the front runner in my mind for a while, South Pacific is a show everyone seems hot over currently. It hasn't been on Broadway for what, 128 years? And I think too many voters have the formidable, original SITPWG in their mind, what with the DVD so readily available.

Best Performance By a Leading Actor in a Play
Ben Daniels, Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Laurence Fishburne, Thurgood
Mark Rylance, Boeing-Boeing
Rufus Sewell, Rock 'n' Roll
*Patrick Stewart, Macbeth

Patrick's due for one.

Best Performance By a Leading Actress in a Play
Eve Best, The Homecoming
*Deanna Dunagan, August: Osage County
Kate Fleetwood, Macbeth
S. Epatha Merkerson, Come Back, Little Sheba
Amy Morton, August: Osage County

Deanna seems the heart of this Pulitzer Prize winning play. And I base that observation on absolutely nothing.

Best Performance By a Leading Actor in a Musical
Daniel Evans, Sunday in the Park With George
Lin-Manuel Miranda, In the Heights
Stew, Passing Strange
Paulo Szot, Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific
*Tom Wopat, A Catered Affair

This Miranda guy could take it, but I like Tom Wopat and The (A?) Catered Affair should win something.

Best Performance By a Leading Actress in a Musical
Kerry Butler, Xanadu
****Patti LuPone, Gypsy
Kelli O'Hara, Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific
Faith Prince, A Catered Affair
Jenna Russell, Sunday in the Park With George

Duh. But...Kelli O'Hara is the critics' darling. Miss O better watch her back, is all I'm saying.

Best Performance By a Featured Actor in a Play
Bobby Cannavale, Mauritius
Raúl Esparza, The Homecoming
*Conleth Hill, The Seafarer
Jim Norton, The Seafarer
David Pittu, Is He Dead?

Being that I know only two of these actors and none of the plays, I choose Conleth Hill, because I like his first name.

Best Performance By a Featured Actress in a Play
Sinead Cusack, Rock 'n' Roll
Mary McCormack, Boeing-Boeing
Laurie Metcalf, November
Martha Plimpton, Top Girls
*Rondi Reed, August: Osage County

Rondi seems to have buzz in a show that's all buzz. Buzzzzzz.

Best Performance By a Featured Actor in a Musical
Daniel Breaker, Passing Strange
Danny Burstein, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific
Robin De Jesús, In The Heights
Christopher Fitzgerald, The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein
*Boyd Gaines, Gypsy

Can you see my prejudice? Note: Jamie wants you to know that she's rooting for Mr. Fitzgerald. "I just want him to get recognition for turning shit into gold, apparently."

Best Performance By a Featured Actress in a Musical
de'Adre Aziza, Passing Strange
*Laura Benanti, Gypsy
Andrea Martin, The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein
Olga Merediz, In The Heights
Loretta Ables Sayre, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

There really is no competition in this category, as for as I'm concerned.

And because I really have nothing to offer but my highly-tuned instinct on the following, let the guess-hazarding ensue.

Best Direction of a Play
Maria Aitken, The 39 Steps
Conor McPherson, The Seafarer
*Anna D. Shapiro, August: Osage County
Matthew Warchus, Boeing-Boeing

Best Direction of a Musical
Sam Buntrock, Sunday in the Park with George
Thomas Kail, In The Heights
Arthur Laurents, Gypsy
*Bartlett Sher, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

Best Choreography
*Rob Ashford, Cry-Baby
Andy Blankenbuehler, In The Heights
Christopher Gattelli, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific
Dan Knechtges, Xanadu

Best Orchestrations
Jason Carr, Sunday in the Park with George
*Alex Lacamoire & Bill Sherman, In the Heights
Stew & Heidi Rodewald, Passing Strange
Jonathan Tunick, A Catered Affair

Best Scenic Design of a Play
*Peter McKintosh, The 39 Steps
Scott Pask, Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Todd Rosenthal, August: Osage County
Anthony Ward, Macbeth

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
*David Farley and Timothy Bird & The Knifedge Creative Network, Sunday in the Park with George
Anna Louizos, In the Heights
Robin Wagner, The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein
Michael Yeargan, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

Best Costume Design of a Play
Gregory Gale, Cyrano de Bergerac
Rob Howell, Boeing-Boeing
Katrina Lindsay, Les Liaisons Dangereuses
*Peter McKintosh, The 39 Steps

Best Costume Design of a Musical
David Farley, Sunday in the Park with George
Martin Pakledinaz, Gypsy
Paul Tazewell, In the Heights
*Catherine Zuber, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

Best Lighting Design of a Play
*Kevin Adams, The 39 Steps
Howard Harrison, Macbeth
Donald Holder, Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Ann G. Wrightson, August: Osage County

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
*Ken Billington, Sunday in the Park with George
Howell Binkley, In the Heights
Donald Holder, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific
Natasha Katz, The Little Mermaid

Best Sound Design of a Play
Simon Baker, Boeing-Boeing
Adam Cork, Macbeth
*Ian Dickson, Rock 'n' Roll
Mic Pool, The 39 Steps

Comment needed: I'm confused. I thought Boeing-Boeing was done sans sound enhancement?

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Acme Sound Partners, In the Heights
Sebastian Frost, Sunday in the Park with George
*Scott Lehrer, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific
Dan Moses Schreier, Gypsy

And there you have it. Tune in to CBS on Sunday, June 15 at 8/7C to see all the glory, glitter and gravitas that is the 2008 Antoinette Perry Awards!